rimanere di sasso

/riˈmaːnere di ˈsasso/◆idiom

to be shocked or stunned

Quando ha saputo la notizia, è rimasto di sasso.

When he heard the news, he was stunned.

◆ What It Really Means

To be so surprised or shocked that one is momentarily speechless or immobile.

¶ Literal Meaning

To remain as stone.

Literal Breakdown

rimanereto remain+diof+sassostone

◇ Mental Image

The mental image is of someone being so shocked that they become as still and unyielding as a stone.

◈ When to Use

Imagine someone telling you a shocking piece of news, and you are so taken aback that you can't move or speak for a moment.

◉ Cultural Note

This idiom is widely used in Italian to describe a strong emotional reaction to unexpected events, similar to the English 'to be stunned' or 'to be shocked.'

informal

To be completely shocked or stunned by something unexpected or surprising.

La sua reazione mi ha lasciato di sasso.

His reaction left me stunned.

Rimase di sasso quando vide il risultato del test.

He was shocked when he saw the test results.

Synonyms

rimanere a bocca aperta rimanere senza parole rimanere scioccato

Antonyms

rimanere indifferente rimanere impassibile

Word Origin

The phrase comes from the idea of being so shocked that one feels as if turned to stone (sasso).

Usage Notes

This idiom is commonly used in informal contexts to express strong surprise or shock.

Dizionario Italiano-Inglese

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